Mush's Kitten
by AdrenalineRush16
Summary: One shot Mush finds a kitten in an alley, will Kloppman let him keep it? My contribution to Mush Week.


Mush Week 2008: Saturday, December 6th-13th

_Disclaimer: T.S. Eliot and Co. owns "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" and Disney owns Newsies. In short, I don't own anyone in this fic but the cat._

**A/N:** Happy Mush Week everybody! I added a twist for Cats the Musical fans, since Cats is one of my favorite musicals. :) If you've never seen Cats, that's fine, it was just my little way of showing my love for that musical. Um, I hope you guys enjoy my contribution to Mush Week and so please R&R!

**IMPORTANT: **I am aware that "Old Possum's Book" was published in the 1900's, but for the sake of this fic, let's say that TSE was alive and posted it in the 1800's instead. Thanks for no flames.

* * *

**Mush's Kitten  
**

"AHHH!!!!!!!"

An ear-splitting shriek shook the Lodging House and everybody jumped out of bed, hollering obscenities. "What'd you do that for?" snapped Specs at a Snipeshooter who had attached himself to Racetrack, shivering.

"There was a rat on me, I could feel it!" Snipeshooter cried, holding tight to Racetrack.

"Oh brother," Blink sighed as he flopped back onto his back.

Mush groaned. It was two o'clock in the morning and he had papers to sell in a few precious hours. He wanted his sleep back. Heavy steps clomped upstairs.

"What is going on in here?" Kloppman asked bursting into the room.

"Aww, Snipes saw a mouse," Jack replied lazily, half asleep already.

"Get off me!" Racetrack snapped as he pushed Snipeshooter away.

"It was a rat!" insisted Snipeshooter scrambling off the floor. "And I didn't just see it, it was on me!"

"Whatever," mumbled Jack pulling the covers over himself. Kloppman shook his head.

"Look Snipes, it was just a mouse, that's nuthin' to be scared of," soothed Bumlets. "Just go back to bed." Snipeshooter shook his head.

"No way am I going back in there," he said folding his arms.

"Aw, come up here with me twerp," Swifty said hauling Snipeshooter up to the top bunk with him. "You can sleep with me tonight,"

Mush sighed. With that resolved, the LH was starting to become quieter as the boys were beginning to fall asleep again. Kloppman, satisfied everything was fine, went back downstairs.

But Mush stayed awake, thinking. The thing with the mice wasn't new. The mice had been getting into their food and leaving droppings everywhere. Mush sighed. They had to get rid of those rodents soon.

* * *

Rain was coming.

Mush could tell by the smell in the air and the way the clouds looked. He sighed and began to pick up his papers. If rain was coming, he wanted to return his papers before they became useless and he couldn't get any money off them.

As a result of Snipeshooter's antics last night, Mush had been tired all day and cranky. Some people assumed that he was always happy and understanding with people, and to a certain extent, they were right. Except when it came to sleep. Sleep was the one thing Mush got cranky about. He could stand whining kids, he could stand no food or water for a while, but no sleep made him just as crabby as Skittery.

So as a result, he was distracted and didn't get a lot of papers sold that day. Mush's stomach growled. He had skipped lunch too. Mush scowled as he picked up his papers. This was just a rotten day.

After grabbing all his stuff, he set out at a jog towards the distribution office. The office closed at a certain time and Mush didn't want them to close without him getting some of his money back. (They may have won the strike, but the price stayed the same. Instead, they could return their papers for a refund at the end of the day. Mush almost preferred it that way)

A clap of thunder sounded and Mush veered to the right, deciding to take a shortcut through an alley. In his hurry, he stumbled over an object and fell onto his knees. He looked behind to him to see a small crate. Mush scowled a brushed off his knees. He'd be lucky to get there in time at all at this rate. Stupid box.

Mush kicked it for good measure and was startled to hear a sharp hiss. His heart jumped into his mouth. It wasn't a snake was it? He cautiously peered into the box.

A small kitten looked up at him and mewed impatiently. Mush smiled. "Hey little guy," Mush said picking the kitten up and holding it to his chest. The kitten was shivering and snuggled close to Mush's warm skin.

"Betcha need a home huh?" Mush said stroking the kitten's head. Another roll of thunder ran across the sky and the kitten jumped. Mush quickly stood up. "Lets' see if Kloppy will let me keep you," he said placing the kitten carefully in his pocket before taking off in a dead-run to the office.

* * *

"Cutting it close aren't we Mush?" Murray, the kindly old man, said from behind the desk as Mush slid his papers through the bars.

"Yeah, I guess so," Mush said collecting his money.

"Mrow!" the kitten in his pocket decided now was the time to show his discomfort. Murray looked at him funnily. Mush coughed.

"Heh, bad cold," he said fake-coughing as he slipped his money in his pocket. Murray nodded a crease showing between his eyes. Mush didn't stick around. He quickly shoved his hand in his pocket and started to run again, not stopping until he reached the lodging house.

* * *

Mush shot through the door just as the rain drops began to fall. A lighting streak lit up the sky. Mush let out a sigh of relief. He'd made it.

"Hello Mush,"

The olive-skinned boy jumped and then whipped around. Kloppman smiled. "I think the weather is making us all jumpy," he said, closing the window behind Mush. Mush tried to smile as he felt the kitten squirm in his pocket. He was lucky it hadn't thrown up yet.

"Uh, Kloppy?" Mush said as he approached the desk where Kloppman was just picking up his book.

"Yes Mush?" he replied, peering over his spectacles. Mush could feel a nervous knot in his stomach. What if Kloppy didn't let him keep it?

"Um, I kind of picked up something on the way home," he said pulling out the kitten. It looked at its surroundings and meowed pitifully. Kloppman smiled and took it in his hands.

"You say you just found it?" he asked stroking the kitten's small head. Mush nodded.

"Yes sir,"

The only sound now was the rain pattering against the windows. The silence was awkward, but Mush was grateful he was the only newsie in the LH at the moment. Who knew what the other boys would do to a small kitten like that? A hiss broke his train of thoughts.

"What'd you do?" Mush asked alarmed.

"Don't worry Mush," Kloppman soothed. "I just wanted to make sure we knew what gender it was."

"What is it?" Mush asked.

"It's a boy," replied Kloppy. "And a rough and tumble one too," he smiled at Mush. "He'll make a great mouser." A big grin spread across Mush's face.

"So I can keep him?" Kloppman's soft smile was enough for Mush. He let out a whoop and then took the kitten in his hands.

"C'mon little guy, let's get you settled before the other guys get here," he told the cat as he bounded upstairs. Kloppman shook his head and smiled.

* * *

"Alright, this is gonna be your--whoa!" Mush reached the upstairs and was about to open the door when someone opened it for him. It was Skittery.

"Skitts," he squeaked out. "What are you doing here?"

Skittery shrugged. "Sleeping off a fight. Where'd you get the cat?" Mush sheepishly brought it out from behind his back.

"In an alley, Kloppy said I could keep it!"

Skittery sighed. "What are we going to do with a kitten smaller than my hand?"

"He'll grow!" Mush was offended as he started towards a bottom bunk. "And besides, we need to get rid of the mice and cats are supposed to be good at catching mice so…" Mush trailed off as more footsteps came up the stairs.

"Heya Mush!" Dutchy greeted. "Oo, a kitten!" Dutchy went over to the bunk below Mush's and stroked the kitten's head.

"Where'd you pick that one up Mush?" Specs asked.

"In an alley, where else?" Skittery answered in a bored tone.

"This'll definitely help with the mice," Specs said picking up the kitten and stroking its back.

"Yeah, it'll provide them with one extra meal," Skittery scoffed.

"Oh shut up Skittery, you've been in a bad mood all day," Dutchy said taking the kitten from Specs.

"Haven't we all?" thought Mush.

"No I haven't!" Skittery argued.

"Oh sure, and Pulitzer's in the poorhouse," Specs said scornfully. Skittery scowled at him.

"Um, I've been trying to think up a name," Mush said in the silence that followed.

"Well, didn't Specs just get—?" Dutchy was interrupted as more footsteps were heard and the door was flung open.

"Hey fellas!" Jack cried as he came into the room, flanked by Blink and Swifty.

"We're trying to think up a name for Mush's kitten," Dutchy informed him as they came over.

"Do you even have to name him?" Swifty asked.

"Well, yeah," Mush replied, a little taken back. "He's going to be around for a while."

"Didn't you get some cat book the other day Specs?" Blink asked, looking up the brunette.

"That's what I was going to say!" Dutchy cried. "before you interrupted me."

"Oh well sorry." Blink said rolling his one eye.

"Its cats _poetry_," Specs informed the boys as he went over to his bunk and lifted the mattress, revealing some tattered books. Specs carefully pulled an orange one out and went back over to the boys.

"Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats?" Jack said doubtfully, reading the title from his bunk above.

"Where did you pick up that one Specs?" Blink asked.

"Was that from an alley too?" Skittery mocked. Specs looked offended.

"At a bookstore actually, it was cheaper than a lot of them."

"Probably nobody will buy it with such a dumb title, they had to get rid of it," Skittery muttered. Specs glared at Skittery. Mush opened the book and read the first stanza before anymore bickering came on.

"_The naming of cats is a difficult matter, it isn't just one of your holiday games. You made think at first I'm as mad a hatter_,"

"Dang right," Skittery muttered. Specs clamped a hand over Skittery's mouth.

"_when I tell you a cat must have three different names_," Mush read on, getting more and more confused.

"Huh?" Dutchy exclaimed.

"Three names, what kind of crackpot is this?" Blink asked frowning.

"This is disturbing," Jack agreed.

"At least you didn't read the _Ad-dressing of the Cats_," Specs muttered. "That one is strange. Skip to the middle of this one Mush, that's where some of the names are." Mush skimmed to the bottom of the page.

"Oh here it is_, Munkustrap, Quaxo, or Coricopat_, what?" Mush exclaimed.

"Oh let me read it," Specs barged in grabbing the book. "Hold onto your kitten Mush," Dutchy handed the small tom back over to Mush.

"Let's just go through the poems and see if we see any names that stand out," Specs said flipping the page.

Mush's head spun as Specs read on. _Jennyanydots, Mungojerrie, Rum Tum Tugger?_ Whoever wrote this definitely had some time on his hands. Mush tuned out Specs and decided to study his kitten. Maybe he'd get a name from looking at him. By the way the book was going on, Mush wasn't sure if he wanted a name from it.

He looked at the kitten. The small tom had a cream colored body with chocolate brown markings all over him, a particular one on his face. It was a square that covered his from his forehead to the bottom of his nose, going just barely onto his muzzle.

"Okay, this one you should appreciate Blink, it has a cat with an eye patch on," Specs said. "_Growltiger's Last Stand_,"

"So, does that mean we can call Blink Growltiger now?" Dutchy asked getting a whack on his head from Blink.

"Wait, stop!" Mush said as Specs was halfway through the poem.

"But we're just getting to the good part!" Specs whined. "When Gilbert and the Siamese come on for Growltiger and Griddlebone and-," Specs was getting very strange looks from the other boys. He cleared his throat. "Ahem, um, what did you want Mush?"

"Could you re-read that stanza about his mates?" Mush asked patiently.

"Okay," Specs said giving him a Look. "_His bucko mate, Grumbuskin, long since_-,"

"No, the one afterwards," Mush interrupted. Specs sighed, but did as Mush ordered.

"_And his bosun, Tumblebrutus, he too had-_"

"That's it!" Mush interrupted happily. "Doesn't that just fit him?"

"Tumblebrutus?" Skittery sounded scornful.

"Yeah," Mush said happily. "Kloppy had said he's 'rough and tumble'."

"Well I like it, it fits him," Dutchy said petting the kitten.

"Well, it's your kitten Mush." Specs sounded almost resigned.

"Then Tumblebrutus it is," Mush said grinning down at the newly christened tom in his lap, which had long since fallen asleep. But now he sat up and meowed.

"I think he likes it," Mush said smiling. The kitten meowed again as his stomach growled.

"Or he's just hungry," Skittery muttered. Mush sighed and headed downstairs for a bowl of milk.

* * *

Tumblebrutus grew quickly. He grew fat on milk and scraps the boys would give him. But still the mice did not go away.

"You boys need to stop feeding him like this," Kloppman told them sternly. "We don't need a fat cat that doesn't do anything, we need a mouser."

Later that night, Mush woke up to the sounds of squeaking. He felt around for Tumblebrutus, who usually slept with him. The cat wasn't there. Mush peered over his bunk to the floor.

There, in a shaft of moonlight, Tumblebrutus grappled with a rat, which was almost as big as the kitten. Mush quickly climbed down the ladder, hoping to grab the rat before it hurt Tumble. But instead, Tumblebrutus grabbed hold of the rat's neck and bit down hard. The rat stopped squeaking.

"I didn't know you had it in you Tumble," Mush said softly. The cat rubbed against Mush's legs and then trotted off to eat his meal. The next morning, Mush told Kloppman of Tumble's adventure the previous night. Kloppman just chuckled.

"He's starting to earn his keep."

Tumblebrutus began to grow bigger. Soon he was a big sleek tomcat and a handsome one too. He soon was big enough that he couldn't sleep with Mush anymore. But Mush didn't mind all that much, because Tumble would always say goodnight.

The tom would go up to Mush's bunk, snuggle under his arm for a few minutes, and then trot downstairs, where he would hunt in the night. Tumblebrutus made it his business to "tuck in" all the little ones as well.

Tumblebrutus lived on to be an old cat. Even when Mush moved out of the LH and came back to visit, Tumble was still there. He was, as the boys would fondly say, "carrying the banner"

_Fin…

* * *

_**A/N**_:_ Okay, so the part where they're arguing about his name was kind of inspired by "Sandy" in the musical Annie. If you know the piece, you know that the girls are spouting out names and Pepper (like our Skittery) is making fun of everything. So, I'm sorry if Skittery was a little OOC, I don't really know if I can write him all that well. Ditto with Specs, I kind of made him into a nerd. Heh. For fans of Growltiger's Last Stand, hope you enjoyed that little piece of it. Thanks for reading!

As always,

AdrenalineRush16


End file.
